The Black & Yellows vs. the Royal Blues: the facts on the 159th Ruhr derby

Saturday is derby day! Borussia Dortmund will take on FC Schalke 04 in a competitive match for the 159th time. The match facts.

The scenario: Fifth versus 12th. Borussia have not conceded a goal in the last four derbies (4-0, 3-0, 4-0, 0-0). Schalke picked up their first win of the season by beating Bochum 3-1 last time out.

Home/away: Borussia Dortmund have found the net in each of their past 37 Bundesliga home games. Schalke are winless in 31 Bundesliga away games. Their last victory on the road was a 2-1 in Bremen in November 2019 (the 2019/20 season).

Head-to-head record: Thanks to the Gauliga era, the Royal Blues have their noses narrowly in front ahead of the 159th derby (W60 D43 L55). Borussia Dortmund have lost only two of the past 13 derbies and have won the last three without conceding - 4-0, 3-0, 4-0. Schalke have given away more penalties against BVB than against any other club (14) and have thrown away a lead in Dortmund 11 times. The derby has ended 0-0 11 times - no Bundesliga pairing has produced more goalless draws.

Statistics: Only Freiburg have kept more clean sheets than BVB (three). No team has been ahead in more games than Borussia (five). Schalke might have won only once but have lost just twice. That makes Stuttgart the only team to draw more matches (five) than the Royal Blues. No team has fielded more players (24).

Biggest home win: Matchday 23 of the 1965/66 season saw Borussia blow their Ruhr rivals away with a 7-0 thrashing at Stadion Rote Erde on 26 February 1966. 30,000 spectators watched on as Siggi Held (2), Aki Schmidt (2), Willi Sturm, Hoppy Kurrat and Lothar Emmerich scored the goals.
Compiled by Boris Rupert